100th Post!!

Wow - I've already had 100 posts? That's nuts!! I started blogging a year ago on February 6, 2008! It's crazy how much has changed since then! I catch myself going back sometimes to see how far we've come and what all we've done in the last year! But more importantly, I can't wait to see what the next 100 posts will bring to our happy family!!

Flashback!

On another, more sad note, Mommy is leaving town today for 2 1/2 days to go to a City Manager's Conference in Austin (Salado, actually.) This morning was TERRIBLY difficult for me! Last night I made all of Malachi's meals until Friday. Made sure that his clothes were SOMEWHAT organized and tried to help Thomas get as ready as possible for the week without me. You see, I'm in an interesting position. I have a husband who is COMPLETELY capable of taking care of our son without me! Even though I know that he would rather have me around, I don't worry in the LEAST about leaving the two of them alone! Thomas is an incredible father. He always makes sure that Malachi has what he needs, when he needs it. He even puts out a burp cloth/diaper at night before we go to bed for when we have to get up, so we'll be ready. He moves Malachi's high-chair into our living room for morning breakfast. He EVEN puts 30 seconds on the microwave so all we have to do is hit start when it comes time to heat up that nightly bottle. Wives, I ask you, does it get any better than this??? So, even though I have teared up more than once ALREADY today knowing that I won't see my husband or my sweet baby until Friday evening, I have NO DOUBTS that they will be just fine in my absence!

Thomas and Mali,

While I am away, you will be at the front of my thoughts. I miss you when I leave in the morning for work and I can't wait to get home in the evenings to see you both. A phone call and e-mails will have to suffice for the next 2 days, but please know, that I am missing you both terribly already and I haven't even left Amarillo yet! You are both the center of my universe and I am so thankful that God has placed you in my life and given you both to me! I have learned so much in the last 9 months about myself and about who I want to be and I owe that all to BOTH of you! I love you very very much. My life wouldn't be 1/2 of what it is now if I didn't have you in it! Please know that I am thinking of you. I'm not worried because I know you'll be just fine without me! Thomas, you are an incredible dad and I thank you for being such a good dad that I have NO worries about Malachi when I'm not there! Mali, even though you can't read this now, just know that all those hugs and kisses daddy is giving you are a result of my demanding that he do that for me! (Just don't start crawling or doing anything else fun for the next 2 days okay??) I love you both tremendously and I can't wait to see you both on Friday night!!

Love,

Mommy

Valentine's Weekend

Valentine's Day 2009 was a definite success! Mommy and Daddy woke up with Malachi Saturday morning at 7:30! We got to sleep in!!! We woke up, fed Mali and then put him in his bouncer! HOW FUN!!!

And, after quite some time in his bouncer - THIS is what he looked like! He was tired!

He bounced, we played, he bounced, Mommy and Daddy napped...and he bounced some more! It really was fun! He's getting so big and LOVES his bouncers! We hung out all day long just the three of us. Mommy got out around 3:00 and went to Wal-Mart with Lolli to buy some special food for dinner Saturday night. We had Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Green Beans, Ranch Style Beans, Macaroni and Cheese and Potato Rolls. ALL of Daddy's favorites! Mommy worked hard at making it all!! It was great (and, I'm not just saying that because I cooked it...it really was good!) We had a chill evening just the three of us until about 7:30. Daddy also opened his Valentine's Day present from Mommy. It was a gift basket from Schakolad. Thanks to Aunt Buzees and Uncle Dub for turning us on to this AWESOME chocolate shop! Daddy got chocolate covered cherries, a chocolate champagne glass, various chocolate truffles, chocolate covered strawberries and other chocolate ***ahem*** goodies.

We planned on digging into all of our new desserts, but we had a SLIGHT change of plans. A friend of the family was going out on a second date and her 13-year-old daughter was going to be at home alone. She had our number just in case anything happened. Well, low and behold, just as we were finishing up dinner, our phone rang. Kenzie had gotten scared and asked if she could come over until her mom got home. (She's 13...what were we going to say? NO?) So, she came over, ate dinner with us, helped us fold all of Malachi's laundry, helped us give him a bath and played with him until it was nighty-night time! Mal was asleep by 8:00 and Kenzie, Thomas and I laid down and watched the Princess Diaries on ABC Family. 9:00 rolled around and Thomas was asleep in the floor. I told him to go to bed since he was sleepy and that I would stay up with Kenzie. She slept on the couch until 10:00 when her mom got there to pick her up. So, needless to say, Valentine's Day wasn't exactly, well...as romantic as we had hoped it would be. Sunday, Daddy went to play golf with Uncle Daniel and Mommy and Mali played all afternoon. Then, before we knew it, it was Sunday night and time to get ready for the week. Oh well...I'm sure this is the first of many times that children will cause a change in our schedule! I guess that's just what we signed up for! (And what a blessing it is!!)

Malachi also had his 9 month checkup this morning with AWESOME Dr. Young! Malachi played and played until he heard an infant SCREAMING in the next room...he got REALLY quiet after that. But he was still generally in a good mood. Dr. Young asked us about his eating, sleeping, pooping...you know, all those important things. He's quite happy! Malachi weighs 17lbs 11 3/4oz and is 27 3/4 inches long. He's grown an inch a month in 9 months!! He's still only in the 7th percentile for his weight, but at least he's going in the right direction! (And, at least we can't see his ribs anymore!)

As far as development is concerned, that's one thing Dr. Young IS keeping an eye on. Although he doesn't feel as though Malachi is developmentally delayed, he also doesn't feel as though he's moving as quickly as he would like him to! As you can see by the above video, Malachi LOVES to jump and puts weight on his legs JUST FINE! However, when you hold him under his arms, he automatically folds his legs up and has NO DESIRE WHATSOEVER to bear weight on them. He's not crawling yet, but that could be because he's figured out how to ROLL everywhere he wants to go. If he's not rolling in the right direction, he'll push up on his arms, turn himself the right direction and take off again. We're going to work EXTRA hard this week on teaching him to crawl. It worked with the rolling, I'm sure we can figure this one out too! Dr. Young was reassuring, though, in explaining that he's doing just fine despite his early appearance and how sick he was! He just wants to keep an eye on things. On the sad side, he got 2 shots, flu and his last Hep C. (Hep B? One of the two) We don't HAVE to go back until his 1 year checkup...hopefully we won't NEED to go back too many times before that! It's hard to believe that he's been through SO MUCH in the last 9 months. It's hard to believe HE'S 9 MONTHS OLD??!!?? But, his little personality is definitely starting to come out and that sure is fun!!

If you're luckier MORE BLESSED than me...Prove it!

Look at what I got an entire day early from my husband!!

All girls (or most girls I know) LOVE IT when they get flowers at work. I love it because it shows other people how lucky I am to be married to such a great guy!! My great guy told me that he wanted to send my flowers early because everyone else would get theirs tomorrow and he wanted me to be EXTRA SPECIAL!

"To My Valentine...Precious, I want you to have these flowers a day early to enjoy them all day tomorrow. I love you! Happy Valentine's Day. Me"

So, BEAT THAT!

Some would say that Valentine's Day is just a made up holiday so card companies and flower shops can make more money. I tend not to agree. I think it's an important day to REALLY FOCUS on keeping the love between you and your spouse alive and kickin'! Yes, it's ALWAYS important and yes, I'm working on showing that love more throughout the year. But, there's nothing wrong with remembering ONE DAY out of the year to especially show your love in a special way!!! (We do it with Christmas and Birthdays and Anniversaries right?) What's wrong with a special day just to celebrate, 1 4 3!!!

Bye Bye Blues

It has officially started. Our little boy has learned to associate "bye-bye" with Mommy and Daddy actually going "bye-bye"! It's SO SAD!! This morning we walked in with his very first Valentines to hand out to his class (like the babies realize it...haha) and we put him in his favorite bouncer like we always do. He was jumping up and down like there was no tomorrow until IT happened...

We both gave him a kiss and told him bye-bye. He immediately put out his bottom lip, laid his head down on his hands (all while jumping still) and let out his most pathetic sob I've EVER heard. (Keep in mind, he was still jumping) It was hilarious...and sad...all at the same time! We waved bye-bye and took that first (of many) walk of shame listening to our son cry for us!

Actually, he did the same thing in Sunday School last week, but apparently didn't start crying until we were gone. I guess he's got to learn sometime, but it still stinks!

On another note, can I just mention one more time how much I can't believe how quickly things are moving??? I know that we will wake up one day and realize that 20 years have gone by and that our baby is all grown up, but dang, does it HAVE to happen this fast? I want him to grow up to be a strong, outspoken, God-fearing, leader one day. I want him to get his independence. I want him to marry a Godly wife and leave me and his daddy and cleave ONLY unto his wife and raise beautiful children together. I want him to be happy. But just, for this little while, I am going to savor EVERY SINGLE MOMENT that he is all mine! I'm so happy to have 2 Valentines this year!!!

WE HAVE A TOOTH!!

Okay, not a collective we. Thomas and I have had ours for a while! Actually, I meant that...

MALACHI HAS HIS FIRST TOOTH!!!!!

You can't see anything yet as it is just a little sliver. But, last night when I got home from my first of 9 meeting this week (yuck) Thomas asked me if I noticed anything different!! I knew immediately what he was talking about so I stuck my finger in there and sure enough his bottom tooth on the right side is coming in!!!! As soon as there is actually visual confirmation, I'll get some pictures all dentist style!!

Fun Pictures and Videos

Here's Mommy and Daddy's Handsome Little Monkey!! (Note to Aunt Bubzees - we LOVE these PJs)

I'm SO Happy!

My First Mohawk - And it will probably be one of his last!!

This is a video after a bath last night! He was talking and waving up a storm!!

**Note** This post was originally put together on Friday, but our computers went down at work and I couldn't publish it. Then, the weekend came and we just didn't have a chance to get around to the computer!! Hope you all enjoy and I'll get a weekend update soon!